


Masks

by Celestiare



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: :), Can you believe it's not teenage angst?, F/M, For Me, I wanted to do a reveal fic, Identity Reveal, Marinette needs to know something, before she risks it all lolololol its actually angsty tho, so here it is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-20 00:51:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19983331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celestiare/pseuds/Celestiare
Summary: During an Akuma attack, Marinette is trapped in a ruined building with Adrien. The only way that she can save him is by revealing her identity- something she’d do in a heartbeat- but first she needs to ask him one simple question.Incidentally, more than one secret is revealed.





	Masks

_Marinette hovered over Adrien, her body pulsing with fear, yet strangely enough, it wasn't for her own life._

_Dust caked his hair, blood trickled down his face, but Marinette's heart still ached for him. His arms were suddenly circling her, as though he could protect her from what was to come. White-hot tears burned behind her eyes and suddenly Marinette was faced with the urge to cry, but she pushed it away with a steady resolve. There was no escaping what she was about to do._

_And for the first time in her life, Marinette was okay with that._

* * *

Marinette knows Adrien loves Ladybug.

By default, he loves _her_ too. Marinette Dupain-Cheng. The girl that sometimes stutters when she talks, a little clumsy, but an avid designer with a dream greater than herself. But Marinette knows that isn't true. She wants Adrien to fall for her _-_ _without_ the knowledge that she was ever Ladybug. Because that's when she fell in love with him. Simply as Marinette, a girl with nothing to hide, nothing to protect, and nothing to lose.

Marinette knows Ladybug isn't a separate identity from her, isn't a better version of herself, it's just her. Yet she can't exactly shake the feeling of resentment towards her alter-ego. 

Would Adrien ever love her as Marinette? 

She knows her fears are irrational or hopes them to be, but she clings to the thought. 

Especially when Adrien looks at the posters of Ladybug pasted to store walls, his eyes shining so brightly that Marinette can't help but shrink back and wonder. 

* * *

Ladybug is strong and confident, but that doesn't mean Marinette isn't. 

For Ladybug to be strong, Marinette must be too. Marinette learned that as long as she keeps a brave front, no one can see the turmoil that stirs within. 

Even in the simplest of messy situations. 

While Adrien Agreste is no ordinary civilian, it should have been easy to swoop him up into her arms and dash away from another frenzied Akuma. Yet her heart thrummed as she lifted him into her arms with ease, her arms swinging under his knees and across his back. Nothing prepared her for the wide eyed-look Adrien gave her though. 

For a moment, she felt as though her lungs would implode. Remembering to breathe, she reminded herself that she had to focus, that she couldn't be distracted by the golden glow around his disheveled hair, tousled clothes and- 

The unconcealed adoration in his eyes. 

Her heart raced in her chest, her limbs feeling as though they were melting just a little. She didn't know what her face betrayed, but suddenly Adrien's face was flushing and he looked away, his arm coming up to wrap around her shoulder. 

Bounding across the roofs for what seemed like an eternity, Ladybug finally reached a summit far from the explosions. She gently settled Adrien to his feet as she slowly came to her senses. Adrien was standing there, looking a little sheepish as he pushed a hand through his hair, giving her a nervous smile. Ladybug had the urge to stand a little closer, and when she did, Adrien made no effort to move away. Instead, maybe he was leaning a little closer too. 

"T-Thanks," Adrien breathed, his voice soft and kind and Ladybug wished she could hear it outside the mask. 

Ladybug smiled, her heart in her throat as she tried to keep her cool. Maybe she should say a smooth pickup line, something she could never say as Marinette, maybe even lean forward and kiss him-

An explosion rocked the ground. 

Ladybug jolted, her thoughts snapping back to reality and she reeled away. 

"Of course," Ladybug smiled, flicking her wrist as she just went through the motions. "Stay safe, okay, Adrien?" 

He nodded, his eyes widening as Ladybug forced herself to turn away, pushing down her guilt. 

She balanced off the edge of the roof. There was always a brief moment of reflection before the jump. 

She remembers the look in his eyes. The way he looked at _Ladybug-_ but never Marinette. 

Suddenly, Marinette found herself soaring towards the ground, air rushing past her ears, and tears blurring her vision. 

The moment her yo-yo caught the nearest ledge, she pushed her thoughts away, instead reminding herself that she couldn't afford to lose focus. No matter how much her heart ached. 

* * *

_**[Present]** _

"Are you okay?" Marinette coughed, her palms digging into the ground beside Adrien, her eyes sweeping worriedly over him. Adrien was staring wide-eyed up at her, his arms still wrapped around her, before he gave a nod. 

"I-I'm okay," He began shakily, before he shifted, his eyes searching her face. Still, he was worried about _her_. "Are you?" 

She nodded, her throat suddenly tight. Although it could have been the dust swarming the room and suddenly tight space they've found themselves in, she knew it was none of that. Why would she have to worry about her wellbeing when she could transform at any moment? 

In theory, it was simple. 

Transform. Save the day. 

However, the small confines they were trapped in didn't allow for it to be that simple. Not with a pair of green eyes watching. 

"We can-" Adrien started, his voice a little hoarse, his hands gripping her tighter. "We can wait till the police arrive, or-" 

A loud, splintering snap resonated throughout the room, causing them both to flinch as a beam crashed to the ground, reminding them of how _little_ time they had. Waiting would only endanger them even more. 

Their eyes met. A simple understanding passed between them. 

_We might not make it out alive._

Who knew that being on the verge of death with someone could be so intimate? 

Marinette tried for a smile, yet all she could muster was a soft upturn of her lips. The bag strewn over her shoulder has never felt heavier. 

Marinette knew what she had to do. 

A secret identity has never seemed so insignificant compared to a life.

And all it took was one phrase to break her. 

_"Maybe Ladybug will show-"_

Marinette froze, her body stiffening as though she touched a live wire. Adrien faltered, his voice halting as he caught onto Marinette's obvious discomfort at the mention of the superheroine. Marinette looked away, her fingers curling into the ground to grip onto _something_. 

"I- I don't think she'll be coming," Marinette said, and for a horrifying moment, she had the urge to _laugh_. How tragic. Ladybug was here, alright. She was trapped, scared, and most off all, ready to reveal the one secret she promised to keep. If anything, Ladybug should have been far, far away. 

"Of course she will." 

Marinette paused, the complete sincerity in his voice catching her off guard. She looked at him, her voice as quiet as the room allowed her to be. 

"How are you so sure?" 

Adrien smiled, the motion so genuine and trusting that Marinette forgot how to breathe. 

"Why wouldn't I be?" Adrien replied, and Marinette smiled. "Besides, I have you with me." 

"I don't think that's a good thing," Marinette laughed her throat a little dry. She was happy for the banter. It distracted her and distractions were good. Even if time was running out. "I'm not a very lucky person." 

"Of course you are, Marinette," Adrien said, shaking his head, his eyes sincere in the dim light. "We're alive. That's- that's better than what we could've been." 

"Dead?" 

They both snorted at how bluntly she delivered it, even with the dim circumstances. There was no use in crying about the obvious truth. 

"Yeah," Adrien began, taking a momentary pause before continuing. "But I mean it, Marinette. This is going to sound terrible, but I'm glad I'm here with you." 

Blood rushed through her ears. If the collapsed building didn't kill her, Adrien's words surely were. 

"Really?" Marinette breathed, her heart a little hopeful.

Marinette knew he would never say something like that out of the blue, never mess with anyone's feelings. Especially not a situation like this. Adrien was smiling at her, and she could see the truth in his words. 

"It's not every day someone's willing to take the brunt of a fall," Adrien began, his eyes sweeping downwards to their position. Marinette was still above him, although it was all a bit in vain if any real damage was to happen. But it was _something_. Marinette shook her head, settling her weight back to her forearms. 

"O-of course I would," Marinette protested, her eyes focusing to the edge of his jaw, somewhere where she didn't have to look into the eyes that had so much power over her. She didn't know how to explain it- how much he mattered to her. How do you even begin to put that depth of emotion into words?

"Exactly," Adrien said, startling Marinette for a moment, as though he were responding to her thoughts. "You're Marinette. You're selfless and brave," Marinette's breath hitched as she looked at him, his eyes glimmering with the same adoration she's only seen behind the safety of a mask. "and I-"

The ground shook. 

Their eyes widened in panic as the reality of the situation was cut back into focus. 

Marinette clenched her eyes closed as she gripped the floor as plaster fell from the ceiling, the framework trembling as Adrien's hand rose to her head and neck, his hands protecting her. Her heart was ramming against her chest, sweat dappling her forehead as she prayed to whatever deities existed that they would give her enough time to transform-

Yet she couldn't bring the three words to her lips. Not quite, and she knew it was entirely selfish of her, but she has given so much, was prepared to sacrifice so much, that she allowed herself this one moment.

"Adrien," Marinette cried, her voice desperate above the cacophony of rubble that rained down and the screech of metal. Adrien opened his eyes to look at her, his eyebrows scrunching together as he searched her eyes. 

_"Marinette-"_

"Adrien, I need to ask you something," Marinette rushed, her eyes pleading as she looks down at him. She was running out of time, but she needed to know. She didn't need a mask to be brave. So many times in the past, she's stopped herself from confessing to asking, that she had no excuse not ask now. Not when death was so near. "I need you to answer honestly, for me, please-" 

He nodded, and for the first time, a little fear glimmered in them. Worry. 

"I- I'm going to do something that's going to change everything, but I need you to trust me, okay?" Marinette began, her fingers digging into the concrete as another explosion rattled the ground. "But first- I need you to know that I- I've always liked you, okay? Loved you- since you gave me that umbrella," Marinette cried, this time tears burning behind her eyes as Adrien was staring at her now, his eyes wider than before. She steeled herself for her next phrase. "I need to know- do you- _could_ you love me, too?" 

Adrien held her tighter, his eyes wide- his mouth forming words but it was too late. 

Before he could reply- Marinette allowed herself to let go. 

"Tikki-" Marinette cried, her eyes wide open. "Spots on!" 

Adrien didn't need to voice his reply to her. She could see it in his eyes- and knew he meant it too. 

With her newfound strength, Ladybug pulled Adrien into her arms, lithely dodging a fallen beam. Using her free hand, she flicked her wrist and twirled her weapon, allowing to easily take care of any obstacles in her path.

And finally, they were free. 

Carefully, Ladybug settled Adrien to his feet, and a sense of deja vu washed over them. Similar circumstances, except nothing was the same. Adrien was staring at her, his mouth gaping, and Ladybug had to hold onto him to make sure he didn't fall over. Yet somehow, Ladybug didn't feel any fear. One of the most tightly kept-secrets was now in the palm of Adrien's hand. 

But if she couldn't trust him, she couldn't trust anybody. 

But Ladybug still had a duty to fulfill. 

"You know where to find me," Ladybug called, nodding at Adrien. An invitation. 

He nodded, a bit speechless for once, and Ladybug smiled. 

* * *

Later that night, Marinette didn't expect to find Chat on her balcony. 

She raised an eyebrow at her cat, smiling as she settled down onto one of her lawn chairs. The plastic dug into her back, but she was grateful for the distraction. She was hoping for Adrien to show up and was a little worried that she had scared him off. It's not every day your classmate turns out to be a yoyo wielding superhero. She wanted to laugh at the image, but she remained quiet. 

Yet she was still curious as to why her partner had decided to make an appearance.

"What brings you over for a late-night visit, Chat Noir?" She asked, the glow of her lights gently lighting his features. He smoothly dropped from his place on the metal railing, his landing nearly silent as he grinned. Marinette's heart did a little flip. Suddenly, every nerve was singing in her body, like the crest of a wave.

Her heart thudded.

Suddenly, everything clicked.

_"Well, M'lady, I was given a special invitation."_

Marinette stared at him, and for a moment she swore the whole world was silent. 

Till her heart picked up and she found herself throwing her arms around him, tears clouding her vision, as she pulled him close. 

_"It's you,"_ Marinette cried, a spark igniting in her chest, her limbs nearly weak with relief. It was _always_ him. 

He smiled into her hair, the same thoughts traveling through his mind. 

Marinette pulled away, watching as her world ignited in a flash of light before all that stood before her was an unmasked boy. 

They simply stood together, alone, yet with the knowledge that they were always meant to be. 

In a motion that was always meant to be, they closed their eyes, their lips meeting. 

This time, they didn't have anything to hide. 

**Author's Note:**

> Sometime in the very near future I want to write a reveal with a lot less drama and a lot more fluff. Because that's what I am. Fluff. Anyways hoped you liked the little deviation from my normal writing style. Thanks so much for reading guys! I love you all! (I'm having flashbacks to my 12 year-old self and long ass author notes. Oh no.)


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